1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a surgical instrument and, more specifically, to a surgical instrument for clamping tissue, approximating anvil and cartridge assemblies, and for surgically joining tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical stapling instruments used for applying parallel rows of staples through compressed living tissue are well known in the art, and are commonly used, for example, for closure of tissue or organs prior to transection, prior to resection, in anastomoses, and for occlusion of organs in thoracic and abdominal procedures.
Typically, such surgical stapling instruments include an anvil assembly, a cartridge assembly for supporting an array of surgical staples, an approximation mechanism for approximating the cartridge and anvil assemblies, an alignment or guide pin assembly for capturing tissue between the cartridge and anvil assemblies and for maintaining alignment between the cartridge and anvil assemblies during approximation and firing, and a firing mechanism for ejecting the surgical staples from the cartridge assembly.
In use, a surgeon approximates the anvil and cartridge members and then fires the instrument to emplace staples in tissue. Additionally, the surgeon may use the same instrument or a separate instrument to cut the tissue adjacent, across or between the row(s) of staples.